Protective sheath for torpedo control wire

ABSTRACT

A protective arrangement for a control wire extending between a torpedo and a torpedo tube aboard a boat. The arrangement comprises a sheath through which the control wire extends, the length of this sheath being less than the range of the torpedo and equal to the distance from the boat through which the control wire is to be protected. One end of the sheath is secured to the torpedo tube, there being a rupturable connection for securing the other end of the sheath to the torpedo. Consequently, the torpedo, after reaching the above-mentioned distance from the boat, will tear itself free from the sheath. In this way, the control wire is protected near the boat, which is where such protection is needed, without it being necessary to store excessively large amounts of protective sheathing on the boat.

89/li8l1 3,136,842 6/1964 Perkins etal. 3,167,047 1/1965 3,265,023 8/1966 Hollingsworth, Jr. et al.

Primary ExaminerBenjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-Thomas H. Webb Att0rney-Spencer & Kaye ABSTRACT: A protective arrangement for a control wire extending between a torpedo and a torpedo tube aboard a boat. The arrangement comprises a sheath through which the control wire extends, the length of this sheath being less than the 1 Inventor Ernst Gruber Eckernforde, Germany 512,230 Dec. 2, 1965 [45] Patented Oct. 19, 1971 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-G.m.b.H. Frankfurt am Main, Germany WIRE 3 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

United States Patent [21] Appl. No.

[22] Filed [73] Assignee [54] PROTECTIVE Sl-TEATH FOR TORPEDO CONTROL range of the torpedo and equal to the distance from the boat through which the control wire is to be protected. One end of 1 the sheath is secured to the torpedo tube, there being a rupturable connection for securing the other end of the sheath to the torpedo. Consequently, the torpedo, after reaching the IL I- M S t e which is where such protection is needed, without it being necessary to store excessively large amounts of protective sheathing on the boat.

above-mentioned distance from the boat, will tear itself free from the sheath. In this way, the control wire is protected near the boat,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,007,432 11/1961 PATENTEDBET 19 m INVENTOR Er n st G ru b er Z FW ATTORNEY 5 PROTECTIVE SIIEATI-I FOR TORPEDO CONTROL WIRE The present invention relates to a sheath, and, more particularly, to a flexible protective sheath for the control wire or cable which is played out from a spool carried by a torpedo and from a spool carried by the boat or ship from which the torpedo is launched.

Conventionally, the control wire of a torpedo which itself is controlled by means of a wire connection between the torpedo and the boat from which the torpedo is launched, is protected throughout its entire length by means of a flexible protective tube or sheath, thereby to protect the wire from damage. Prior to the firing of the torpedo, part of this control wire is usually coiled on a so-called boat spool which is in the torpedo tube aboard the boat, and part of the control wire is coiled on a so-- called torpedo spool which is carried by the torpedo itself. If, then, the wire is to be provided with a protective sheath which is to extend through the entire length of the wire, the amount of space which is required to accommodate the control wire is increased to a very appreciable extent inasmuch as the control wire will, in practice, be very long in order that the torpedo have sufficient range.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to eliminate this drawback without, however, lessening the protection of the control wire in the vicinity of the boat from which the torpedo is fired, and, with this primary object in view, the present invention resides, basically, in a protective arrangement for a control wire extending between a torpedo and a torpedo tube aboard a boat, which arrangement comprises a sheath through which the control wire extends, the length of this sheath being less than the range of the torpedo and equal to the distance from the boat through which the control wire is to be protected. Means are provided for securing one end of the sheath to the torpedo tube, there being further means, forming a rupturable connection, for securing the other end of the sheath to the torpedo. In this way, the torpedo, after reaching the above-mentioned distance from the boat, will tear itself free from the sheath.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the sheath and/or the rupturable connection are provided with means for reinforcing the sheath after the same I has been played out from the torpedo tube.

According to a still further feature of the present invention, the sheath can be cut free or otherwise detached from the torpedo tube after it is no longer needed. Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which the single FIG. is a schematic and partly sectional view of an arrangement according to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the same shows a torpedo arranged in a torpedo tube 11 carried aboard a ship or boat. The torpedo 10 is to be fired out of the tube 11. The boat spool 13 is carried by the rear tube cover 12. The control wire 14, which is coiled on the spool 13, passes through a flexible sheath 15, the latter also being wound in the torpedo tube 11.

In accordance with the present invention, the total length of the sheath is limited, i.e., less than the total length of the control wire 14 which gives the torpedo its range of action. Furthermore, the forward end of the sheath 15 is connected to the wire outlet 16 of the torpedo 10 by means of a tearable or rupturable connection 17, e.g., a clip or the like engaging suitable notehing, as shown, so that after the torpedo has been fired and reached a certain distance from the boat namely, a distance equal to he length of the sheath 15-the coiled up sheath 15 will have become uncoiled and the torpedo will tear itself free of the sheath. As a result, that portion of the length of the control wire 14 which is nearest the boat will be covered by the sheath 15, while the remaining length of the control wire will not be covered. This, however, is of no import because that portion of the control wire which is not in the vicinity of the boat is in open water and hence not in need of any protection.

It will be appreciated that thanks to the above arrangement, the overall space required for the protective sheath is substantially reduced, as compared to installations in which the protective sheath is long enough to enclose the control wire throughout its entire length. It will, moreover be seen that the desired result will not be achieved solely by limiting the length of the sheath to the distance from the boat through which the control wire 14 is to be protected, instead, the sheath 15 must be connected to the torpedo in such a manner as to enable the torpedo to tear itself loose, in a manner of speaking, from the sheath 15 without, however, tearing the control wire 14.

In practice, the saving of space thus realized is of considerable significance in the case of combatant vessels, particularly smaller vessels such as submarines.

According to a further feature of the present invention, the sheath 15 and/or the connection 17, will be provided with means which reinforce the sheath after the same has been withdrawn from the torpedo tube 11. These means may be constituted, for example, by wire insets or other elastic reinforcements carried by the sheath. Exemplary insets are shown at 15a. In this way, the danger of inadvertently sharply bending the control wire 14 is eliminated.

According to still another feature of the present invention, means are provided in the torpedo tube 1] which allow the sheath 15 to be detached from the sleeve 18 or other means that hold the rear end of the sheath 15 in the torpedo tube 11. This allows the sheath 15 to be cut free after the torpedo has been spent, so that the now useless sheath will not interfere with the operation of the boat. In the illustrated embodiment, the means involved are constituted by a cutting device 19 which moves to the right, as viewed in the drawings, for cutting the sheath and, if desired, the control wire 14 as well.

In the interests of simplicity, only the salient features of the present invention are illustrated. The torpedo spool per se is conventional and is not illustrated.

It will thus be seen that, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a protective arrangement for a control wire extending between a torpedo and a torpedo tube aboard a boat, which arrangement includes the sheath through which the control wire extends, the length of this sheath being less than the range of the torpedo and equal to the distance from the boat throughout which the control wire is to be protected. One end of the sheath is connected to the torpedo tube if desired, in such a way as to enable the sheath to be out free or otherwise detached from the torpedo tube after it is no longer needed while the other end of the sheath is connected to the torpedo by means of a rupturable connection so that after the torpedo has reached the desired distance from the boat, it will tear itself free from the sheath.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A protective arrangement for a control wire extending between a torpedo and a torpedo tube aboard a boat, said arrangement comprising, in combination:

a. a flexible sheath through which the control wire extends, the length of said sheath being less than the range of the torpedo and equal to the distance from the boat throughout which the control wire is to be protected, said sheath and the length of control wire surrounded thereby being in a coil prior to launching of the torpedo;

b. means for securing one end of said sheath to the torpedo tube; and

0. means forming a rupturable connection for securing the other end of said sheath to the torpedo, in consequence of which the torpedo, after reaching said distance from the boat and the coiled up sheath having uncoiled, will tear itself free from said other end of said sheath.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said sheath is provided with means for reinforcing said sheath after the same has been played out from the torpedo tube.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, further comprising means for cutting said sheath from the torpedo tube. 

1. A protective arrangement for a control wire extending between a torpedo and a torpedo tube aboard a boat, said arrangement comprising, in combination: a. a flexible sheath through which the control wire extends, the length of said sheath being less than the range of the torpedo and equal to the distance from the boat throughout which the control wire is to be protected, said sheath and the length of control wire surrounded thereby being in a coil prior to launching of the torpedo; b. means for securing one end of said sheath to the torpedo tube; and c. means forming a rupturable connection for securing the other end of said sheath to the torpedo, in consequence of which the torpedo, after reaching said distance from the boat and the coiled up sheath having uncoiled, will tear itself free from said other end of said sheath.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said sheath is provided with means for reinforcing said sheath after the same has been played out from the torpedo tube.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1, further comprising means for cutting said sheath from the torpedo tube. 